How the world views U.S. leadership has changed substantially in recent times and its global approval has hit an unprecedented low.
How the world views U.S. leadership has changed substantially in recent times and its global approval has hit an unprecedented low. A recent Gallup World Poll shows just 30% of 1,000 participants hailing from 134 nations see the United States' governance under President Trump in a positive light. That's an 18-point drop from President Obama's final year in office. Prior to the latest Gallup survey on the matter, which was conducted from March to November of 2017, the record low was the 34% reported at the end of President George W. Bush's tenure. While approval numbers under the current administration slipped, the percentage of those who disapprove increased 15 points, landing at 43%. The poll results put the U.S. on the same rung as China and not far above Russia. Meanwhile, Germany has become the most positively viewed nation in the world. A number of experts, world politicians, and pundits saw this coming, and among them was CNN's Fareed Zakaria. On December 31, he reflected upon the impact President Trump's seemingly isolationist leanings have had on the world at large. He began with the number of international leaders and high-ranking officials who have acknowledged the "abdication of America's international leadership" and urged Europe "to define its interests and take its destiny into its own hands."
"This then is the condition of the new international system today. Its creator, upholder, and enforcer, the United States, has withdrawn into self-centered isolation," Zakaria goes on to note.
During his presidency, Trump has cited American interests while taking many controversial actions like withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement. His speeches also reflect that message.
"This is the United States of America that I'm representing. I'm not representing the globe," Trump said during a speech in February. "I'm representing your country."
